| It is an accepted fact that the Christmas | | | | tinsel instead of green foliage. |
| tree tradition is one that was brought to the | | | | |
| shores of America by German immigrants who | | | | An important ceremony related to the |
| continued a practice that was popular in | | | | Christmas tree that gains national attention |
| their former homeland. Today, a Christmas | | | | during the Christmas season is the lighting |
| tree, even a miniature one, is present in | | | | of the National Christmas Tree at the White |
| just about every home at Christmas. It is | | | | House. This tradition can be credited to |
| therefore interesting to note some | | | | President Calvin Coolidge who lit the first |
| little-know facts about the Christmas Tree | | | | decorated Christmas tree outside at the White |
| and other traditions related to Christmas. | | | | House in 1923. |
| | | | |
| The first interesting fact is the source of | | | | The lighting of the National Christmas Tree |
| real Christmas Trees for some Americans. | | | | has also been used to convey some symbolic |
| These can be bought at a Christmas Tree Farm | | | | meaning not related to Christmas. It was not |
| or at many local stores and other places of | | | | lighted until Dec. 22 in 1963 because of a |
| business in just about every town and city | | | | national mourning period of 30 days for the |
| across the country around Christmas time. But | | | | assassination of President Kennedy. And while |
| according to the National Christmas Tree | | | | Teddy Roosevelt was President he gave an |
| Association, Americans buy about 330,000 | | | | order that banned the Christmas tree from the |
| Christmas trees that are real through | | | | White House, not for the assassination of |
| e-commerce or from a catalogue and have them | | | | President McKinley in 1901, which caused him |
| shipped by mail-order. | | | | to become president, but for reasons related |
| | | | to the environment. |
| The scent of real Christmas trees is the | | | | |
| reason they are so popular. But as they stand | | | | Also of note is that when the National |
| silently in their decorative wonder, they | | | | Christmas Tree was lighted on Dec. 13 in |
| also are providing another benefit. The | | | | 1984, temperatures were in the 70s during an |
| Christmas Tree Association says the amount of | | | | unusually warm December. Christmas has been |
| oxygen produced on a daily basis by one acre | | | | celebrated in the United States since the |
| of Christmas tree is enough to provide enough | | | | 1600s although it wasn't always very popular. |
| oxygen for 18 people. And during the first | | | | It took more than two centuries into the |
| week, a Christmas Tree at home will use up to | | | | mid-late 1860s for Christmas to become a |
| one quart of water each day to help retain | | | | popular holiday season all across America. |
| its longevity for the many days of Christmas. | | | | |
| | | | So maybe the rest of the country owes the |
| Since Christmas celebrations gained | | | | holiday of Christmas Day to the state of |
| popularity in America, the Christmas Tree has | | | | Alabama, which in 1836 became the first state |
| always been a big tradition. During the 1950s | | | | to declare Dec. 25 a legalholiday. It is |
| however, artificial Christmas trees were not | | | | interesting to note that on Christmas Day of |
| always green. It was very popular during | | | | 1789 Congress was in session. And to show how |
| those times to have artificial trees with | | | | far ahead of the game Alabama was, it wasn't |
| other colors such as silver, pink and aqua. | | | | until June 26, 1870 that the federal |
| The appeal in having these colored Christmas | | | | government declared Christmas as a federal |
| trees may have been due to the fact that they | | | | holiday. |
| looked shiny and bright and appeared like | | | | |